This examination of the contemporary Islamic world reveals that there is a continuous struggle between the realm of education and the religious structure of society. In many respects, intellectual activity has always been curtailed by certain aspects of Islamic law. This phenomenon especially affects women, who have been marginalized by Islam's perspective of women's place in society. The examples of Islamic education in Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iran epitomize illuminating aspects of this reality. In many respects, the Islamic state sets up a certain social discourse which normalizes the peripheralization of women from the field of education. In other words, the parameters within which women are able to pursue higher education remains extremely narrow and curtailed. 7 pgs. 5 f/c. 6b.
